Have Your Cocktail and Eat It Too: Mudslide Cupcakes

Editor’s Note: It’s been a minute since we’ve had a baker here in our midst at ES, but Sweet Fiend (a.k.a. Naomi of drool-worthy dessert blog Bakers Royale) has stepped up to the plate. She’ll be joining us here occasionally to share killer dessert recipes and more. Please welcome Sweet Fiend.

This past Sunday morning, while everyone else was buying their Starbucks, I was in a liquor store that reeked of old spilled milk buying a flask size worth of Jameson. The look on the cashier’s face was better than my husband’s—what was someone who is barely tall enough to bully a toddler doing purchasing whiskey on a Sunday?

Don’t judge me Dude, it’s for the love of cupcakes. These Mudslide cupcakes are rich, sweet and decadently full of all the stuff your mama warned you against. Personally, I eat them for breakfast—hey, they have coffee in them. By revelry or rebellion take a bite and enjoy. A few notes:

•  I made my own Bailey’s, but you can use the store-bought stuff to shave some time off the recipe. The cupcakes will taste the same. This recipe just gave me a good excuse to make my own home brew.

• For the instant coffee portion, I used Starbucks Via Bold. I find it tastier and stronger than most espresso powder made for baking.

Mudslide Cupcakes

Yields 18-24 cupcakes

Homemade Bailey Irish Cream
Recipe adapted from here and here.

• 1 cup of heavy cream
• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 1 ½ cup of Jameson Irish Whiskey
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee
• 2 tablespoon of semi-sweet chocolate, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

Instructions:
Place all ingredients in a blender and set on high speed for 30 seconds. Keep refrigerated in a sealed container. Shake before use. Will keep for 2 months.

Butter Cream Frosting Base

• 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
• ¾ sugar
• Pinch salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into 16 pieces

Instructions:

1. Combine egg whites and sugar in a large heat proof bowl. Set the bowl over (not on) simmering water in a sauce pan and heat, whisking constantly until sugar has dissolved. The mixture is ready when with it is very warm to the touch, about 2 minutes and approximately 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer.

2. Remove from mixture from heat and transfer to a stand mixer bowl and beat on high until egg white mixture is fluffy, led to room temperature and holds stiff peaks, about 6 minutes.

3. Turn the speed to medium low, add salt and the butter a few pieces at a time, beating well after each addition. Turn the speed to high and beat until mixture is creamy, about 3-5 minutes more. Evenly split buttercream into two separate bowls.

Bailey’s and Chocolate Kahlua Frostings

To make the Baileys buttercream add 3 tablespoons of Baileys into one bowl and beat until combined.

To make the Chocolate Kahlua Frosting in the other bowl, add 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder and 4 oz of melted semi-sweet chocolate and 3 tablespoons of Kahlua and beat until combined.

Chocolate Cupcakes
Recipe adapted from here.

• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preparation: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners; set aside.

Instructions:

1. Sift together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl to assure batter is well mixed.

2. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 minutes, rotating pan once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Assembly:

1. Place each frosting in separate pastry bags and cut a small opening at the bottom. Use a third bag fitted with your preferred tip and then place both filled pastry bags inside. Make sure that the bottoms of both bags are pointed in the tip. Frost cupcakes as desired.

2. Optional: Sprinkle with crushed cupcake crumb and drizzle with chocolate sauce to finish.

Enjoy more of Sweet Fiend’s recipes on Bakers Royale.

Previously on ES:
Mint Julep Cupcakes
Green Tea and Almond Cupcakes
Hummingbird Cupcakes
Endless Cupcakes: All Cupcake Recipes